Closure
by The Crazy Jerk
Summary: Since Phoenix Capture by Hysterical Kit is not updating, this is my version of a sequel for it... or really just closure to move on from the story that I love so much.


**A/N: Okay, so obviously I'm not really the real author, but I just saw a review that made me really need to get this out of my system. Like really, really. It was on both the original story 'Phoenix Capture' by 'Hysterical Kit' (who really is hysterical if you read the profile) and the sequel 'Phoenix Captured: Continuation for Hysterical Kit' by 'Huny Bajer'. And the funny thing is that this reviewer wanted to publish a sequel in the reviews... but the 'sequel' got cut off! Rage, right?! **

**Poor Fem!Luffy got comatosed in hiatus-time by all three stories and will never wake up! And this kind of made me just a bit angry, especially at the reviewer so I don't care what got cut off, but I'm finishing this once and for all - by finishing, I mean concluding the reviewer's 'sequel' with Luffy at least awake because that's just evil, never letting anyone know whether a possibly fatally injured person is alive or not.**

**TLDR, this begins where Chapter 6 of Phoenix Capture left off (and, if you read the Huny Bajer-influenced review that I'm talking about, is the review for the first half).**

* * *

"Luffy!"

The Whitebeard Pirates and Squardo stared in confusion as Whitey Bay, Ace, and Marco called the girl's name, rushing to her fallen body with panicked voices. Many even gaped at the marine-hating people who they would expect to be the first to try beheading her who harmed their friends (for Whitey Bay, even her own crew). Squardo was especially confused, being the one who stabbed her. He backed away at the incredulous sight, unsure if what he was seeing was real or how to even make sense of it.

Ace reached her first, turning her over while unconsciously cradling her body within his arms. Tears already flowed from his eyes as he tried to check her pulse with fumbling fingers, but was unable to do it with all the shaking and rankling fear. He could already feel her body steadily becoming paler and colder and weaker… Luffy was always bright and warm and strong; she couldn't—

"No… please… Don't die, Luffy… Not you, not you too…"

Marco gently pushed aside his friend's hand. In normal times, he would have been confused perhaps even curious as to how Ace knew her. Now, all he could think about was the girl and if she was alive — she had to be. Fear overtook him as he felt for seconds, feeling nothing but cold cold cold, but then out of nowhere he felt it. _Thu-thump… thu-thump… thu-thump… _It was slowly getting weaker, but it was there! Whitey Bay glared impatiently at Marco as she limped on over,

"Say it already! Is she alive?!"

A breath of relief escaped him as he absently nodded to her question, murmuring softly, "She is… yoi…"

Then, the crew woke up from their shock.

"What are you doing, Marco, Ace, Whitey?!" "Get away from her! Leave the bitch to die!" "You're alive, Whitey!" "That's what she gets for harming our friends. Stupid marine." "Let's just leave her to die already. Damn trash…"

The last insult brought Ace out of his trance — he could still remember that noble calling them that before Sabo died as well. He rose to his feet, gently passing his precious sister to Marco, murmuring, "Save her, Marco. Get her help." He didn't even look to see his friend nod, trusting the phoenix to help. Rising to his full height, he shouted angrily at the others, "SHUT THE HELL UP! DON'T YOU DARE INSULT HER NAME AGAIN — IN FACT, DON'T YOU DARE EVEN TALK ABOUT HER AGAIN!"

At the same time, Marco gazed up at his captain, his father, "Pops, she's dying. Can we take her to the head nurse for treatment, yoi?"

Whitebeard gazed down to see how gently and protectively his most impassive son held her against his frame, the little girl looking so much more fragile and young, and then the pleading eyes of blue. His son was begging to save the enemy's life. It didn't take much longer for him to nod, releasing all anger and doubt within him for more weary curiosity and mellowness.

"Bring her aboard, Marco. Take her to the sickbay." Hearing Ace begin yelling at the others who were just as clueless as him on this, he ordered, "And stop shouting at your siblings, Ace. Go with Marco." The boy nodded, running with Marco to the sickbay. He grabbed the straw hat as he left and the crew watched as they disappeared into the ship. Whitebeard really wondered what was so important about the little girl. Sure, she wasn't a typical marine and she was a little girl, but out of all of them, those two should be the ones to be the most angry about a person hurting an ally, their own friend and family. His eyes, like the others, trailed to Whitey Bay who stalked over to Squardo, smacking him as he was just going to hug her out of relief and happiness that she was still alive.

"Why the hell did you do that, Squardo?! I can't believe that you would dishonor me and my crew by stabbing an honorable enemy in the back!"

Squardo was quiet for a moment before he growled with anger in frustration and rage at his good friend, his ally, and the woman he was so worried about that he rushed here once reading that newspaper article, "I thought you were dead, Whitey! Your crew was wiped out — even you were there bleeding on the ground without a single sight of life! Excuse me for wanting to kill the damn scum that did that to you!"

"Then fight like a pirate!" Her eyes glared as she remembered her own fight with the girl, "Fight like a fucking man! We aren't thieves or crap — we take what we want and make it ours outright! We don't steal victory, we win victory so completely and honorably that no one can complain or ever tarnish our names, our pride! So if that's how you're going to fucking fight, then don't you dare ever touch that girl or call yourself a pirate!" She glared at the crew of still-conscious Whitebeard Pirates, making them flinch and look down in shame as she crossed her arms, "And you guys. I can't believe that you were beating down on a little girl, even supporting that kind of action. No matter what she did, at least she fought one on one, eye to eye, and didn't insult her opponents with words or actions." She softened as the pirates drooped before, "I understand why you guys did it though…" They perked to see the 'cold-hearted', proud woman blush as she scratched her cheek, embarrassed that they all saw her defeated and weak, "So thank you." They stared in wonder and blushes at the rare cute side of the female captain, grinning as all felt alright in the end. She did give them an icy glare though, "I don't want to see that action again."

"Yes, ma'am!" Most of them shouted in fear at the dropping temperature. The commanders watched in amusement as their own siblings saluted to another. It was an ally though so it was alright, they guessed. Whitebeard laughed,

"Gurararara! Well said, Whitey Bay," For even if the girl was a marine and harmed his family, the woman was right about honor and pride. There was no honor in backstabs. His eyes darkened; his sons and daughters should have learned that with Blackbeard. "Are you sure you want the girl to live though? She defeated you and her subordinates harmed, possibly even killed your crew. Don't you want her life as payment, seeing as her crew already ran away?"

"...I screwed up, Pops." She admitted after a long pause, not daring to look at him or her crew that laid still unconscious, "They weren't going to attack at first. The marines recognized us as allies of you and didn't want to start a war, not on your turf at least." Because Baltimore Island was really under the protection of Whitebeard; it was a trade center which many passed through inevitably due to the abnormally large magnetic force field here. That was the reason why many pirates and even marines didn't dare to start a fight in this unofficial but still neutral (to people outside of the Whitebeard Alliance) territory. "Even though they made the first shots, I was the one who incited the fight just for the heck of it. My arrogance, my decision was the one that caused all this. I don't know how to face my men."

Whitebeard's eyes softened as he patted her shoulder, "Everyone, even captains, make mistakes once in a while. What is more important is that you learn from them and move on. As men who fought with you in this fight, they already understand and support your reasons. They will not hate you for the mistake you made together." She gazed up at Whitebeard's warm eyes as he smiled gently at his daughter, "Besides, if you can feel regret for their pain, then I think you are already a great captain to follow even through the bad times of the seas."

The crew smiled as they watched her smile once again, nodding and murmuring thanks to their great captain, their proud father.

"Pops, I need some help." Whitey Bay stood to her full height once again as she already began carrying her men, "Care if we invade your sickbay?"

"Of course not~" He grinned before ordering, "Boys! Help Whitey Bay carry her crew inside for treatment!"

"Ou!" They all shouted in agreement, grabbing the injured (somewhat) gently to go inside to the sickbay. Remembering the three that should already be inside with the nurses, they wondered what the marine girl meant to Marco and Ace. Especially Ace since the stubborn, proud guy never let himself appear weak or in tears like that. He seemed so broken when he thought that she was going to die…

But whatever relation they had, they all knew that eventually all questions were going to be answered so they continued on.

… **(A/N: Review ended with the third paragraph after this; if you want to know.)**

The two commanders sat in silence; both of their eyes darkened with worry and fear. The door to the operating room was closed, had been for a dreadfully long time. Or at least it was a dreadfully long time to them. After a while, Ace gazed at the phoenix,

"Thanks for not saying anything, Marco, and even helping me carry her here. I know she hurt Whitey and the crew, but… I really can't stand people hating or ridiculing her in the end."

Marco just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. But he did, feeling a need to explain himself. He didn't explain himself for Ace's sake or even his own, but more like hers as if defending her and trying to paint her in a better light than the one Ace just woke up to. "It's alright. She saved my life once." Ace's eyes darted to his as he continued to stare forward at the blank wall before him, "Remember three months ago? She took care of me for a week — didn't know it was me until the very end when my injuries were healed and she was going to let me fly away, but she took care of me. And still let me go." He laughed; it was a small laugh. "Small world, isn't it? I never expected I'd see her again and like this too. Then again, we're enemies so how else were we supposed to see each other again? How am I ever supposed to repay my thanks, my debt? Maybe that's why she said to just forget it… She's a really good girl. I couldn't stand it either."

"...Yeah." Ace smiled; his black eyes softening as the tension escaped him, "That's the way it should be. That's how people are supposed to react towards her — really, that sounded exactly like her. I never thought that she'd be in the marines… She's too free to obey anyone other than herself. She's also too soft to support the ideal of Absolute Justice, but perhaps that softness is the reason why she joined." Ace gazed at the ceiling, leaning back so his head touched the wall as he relaxed, "We have a grandfather. He's pretty high up in the marines — very extreme too. We wanted to be pirates from the start, but he always pounded us in, shouting and training us to become marines. Every year, he got a bit harsher and visited more often. I never paid much attention to it, but now that I think about it… now, after today, I feel sad. The old man was just getting lonely, getting more and more desperate for us to be on the same side as him — the same fricken side so something like this doesn't happen. Luffy probably realized that and joined. She's very sensitive and she hates loneliness more than anything in the world. Before I left to be a pirate, she'd always follow me around." Ace gave Marco a bright smile, which he recognized to be much like hers when they were together during that week, "Cute, right? My little sister, that is~"

Marco stared. He always thought that her smile was like Ace's after his first sullen, bad-tempered 100 days on the Moby Dick. Now that he thought about it… it was reversed. It was the opposite.

Ace's smile was a lot like hers.

Perhaps, that was why he wasn't surprised to hear that the two were related. Perhaps, that was why at that time, he wasn't surprised to see Ace rush over and desperately try to wake her in his tears. He was the only one other than him to have seen the girl's beautiful smile. That warm laugh that was more potent than Ace's flames and brighter than the sun. He was the only one besides him to know that addicting drug that was her cheeriness and to feel that something was horribly wrong when she was dying, losing all of that.

"You're right, Marco. It's a small world. I'm so stupid for thinking that she can die. Because Luffy is big. She won't be defeated by something as small as this. Of course, she's still my cute little sister though—" His freckled face scrunched, "Wait, that doesn't make sense, describing her as big and small." The man's face distorted a bit more as he kept using the two differing adjectives interchangeably, trying to make a good analogy. Marco finally chuckled; he laughed, roaring loudly at the sight. Ace sputtered, cheeks blushing in embarrassment before he too blinked and began laughing. Marco smiled,

"It's a bit silly, yoi. Two men laughing outside of a sickbay containing an injured patient, a savior, a sister, and an enemy in one."

"Yup. That's Luffy for you." Ace grinned, "She makes everything possible." He scratched his nose, "I just hope that no one will try killing her while I'm not looking. Like, I really do understand how they feel, but…"

"I'll watch her," Marco offered firmly, "She oversaw my health at Marineford. Least I can do is make sure she gets better here on Moby Dick." He added, patting Ace's head of black curls, "And we're brothers. If you ever need help, then you're always welcomed to ask me~"

"And me too, dude!" Thatch burst out of the hallway's corner, making the two jump, "Oh my God, I am so sorry! I didn't know that she was your sister or that she saved your life or—"

Many feet kicked the blond chef, groaning, "Way to tell the world that we were eavesdropping, idiot."

"Gurararara~"

…

"What's with the build up around here, boys?" Whitebeard asked as he carried some of Whitey's fallen men to the infirmary. The commanders at the front jumped, but didn't make a sound. Getting the idea, the tall man peered around the corner silently to see his two sons sitting outside solemnly. They seemed utterly unapproachable as they listlessly bore holes into the other wall. Whitey Bay stopped when she saw them as well, but had her injured men on her hands (though good old Blenheim bandaged them up on the trip there) and decided to press forward. Or at least until Ace spoke, making her hide behind the wall again.

"Thanks for not saying anything, Marco, and even helping me carry her here. I know she hurt Whitey and the crew, but… I really can't stand people hating or ridiculing her in the end."

Some of the pirates glanced at Whitey Bay, who listened attentively with a neutral expression on her face. She had her own reason for wanting to save the girl, but she really did wonder what the girl was to the two others. Whitebeard too didn't reproach his children as he leaned against a wall to listen as well. Though he didn't approve eavesdropping, it wasn't like this was something they could interrupt as well. After all, Ace was very hesitant about confessing personal problems even after joining their family. If they interrupted now, then he would probably never talk about it again. And then, they couldn't move from the spot because the sickbay was just yonder right next to them and they had their injured in hand.

Marco was silent for a while, making Thatch and Haruta fidget, before he said something. Something that none of them expected. Something that none of them, but Whitebeard, even knew about. Even then though, Whitebeard never expected that the marine that helped his son was this one. After all, his son only told him enough to know that the marine savior was a kind female. The Whitebeard Pirates and even allies were all curious about where Marco was in those 107 days, but never asked out of respect for his privacy. To think that…

"Damn, I feel really really bad right now." Thatch took the words out of most of them as they listened to the phoenix's tone of fondness for the marine and his internal struggle. Being so angry, none of them noticed that the phoenix was having a hard time wondering if he should help Whitey or not.

The tension seemed to have left the two as the atmosphere became lighter. Still, they didn't dare approach as Ace spoke up with a much calmer tone about a grandfather and sister they never knew or heard about. His voice grew with guilt about the grandfather, but lighter as he seemed to recall his memories of the girl. They could see Ace's smile — a small fond smile reserved only for the girl and then the big one that they became so accustomed with in the months together since his acceptance of the Whitebeard mark. Then, Ace began tripping himself up on words and Marco laughed and both of them did, echoing the hallways that weren't so empty anymore.

Whitey finally smiled, "I won't regret letting her live, Pops." The girl's subordinates' crimes were not hers. The female captain shook her head as she remembered the girl saying that it was her responsibility as leader. No… She was a silly little girl trapped between responsibilities and morals. To think she lost to such a silly little girl, but… it didn't feel so bad. Hearing those two happy — especially since she had witnessed before Marco's many silent lonely moments in his office full of papers and Ace's face of pure hatred during his first days on the ship she was on now — was worth everything.

Whitebeard smiled as well, having missed that relaxed smile of his oldest son for years. When was the last time he heard Marco laugh? Genuinely, fully, loudly without reservations? He wasn't going to regret it either. After a while, the laughter died. Marco's voice seemed breathless in mirth as he pointed out,

"It's a bit silly, yoi. Two men laughing outside of a sickbay containing an injured patient, a savior, a sister, and an enemy in one."

"Yup. That's Luffy for you." They could all hear her name clearly this time. Luffy… It echoed in their heads as they now saw her as an individual rather than blindly spitting on her being, "She makes everything possible." Ace paused; his next words hurting most of them, especially since the distrust was rightly founded. After all, just minutes ago, they were all hyped up to— "I just hope that no one will try killing her while I'm not looking." —kill her. All had been eager to find fault and hate her; though their hate at the time was valid as well as Ace had noted sadly, resignedly, "Like, I really do understand how they feel, but…"

They stood in awkward silence, feeling less and less able to go to the sickbay. Thatch didn't know how to comment for once… But Marco did as he spoke firmly without hesitation.

"I'll watch her." He offered, "She oversaw my health at Marineford." The question of what exactly he was doing in Marineford or how he got there in the first place after a war with Shiki escaped them as they listened to his strong voice, "Least I can do is make sure she gets better here on Moby Dick." He added, patting Ace's head of black curls, "And we're brothers. If you ever need help, then you're always welcomed to ask me~"

"And me too, dude!" Thatch finally burst out of the hallway's corner, making all of them jump, "Oh my God, I am so sorry! I didn't know that she was your sister or that she saved your life or—"

Many feet kicked the blond chef, voices groaning, "Way to tell the world that we were eavesdropping, idiot."

Whitebeard laughed as he made his way to the sick bay's door, hearing everyone cursing Thatch, apologizing to the two fire buddies (Squardo's voice being loudest), or move quickly to the sick bay.

"Gurararara~"

"Pops!"

"Hm?" He gazed at the two. Ace twiddling his thumbs as he looked away,

"Can… Are you…"

He patted the kid on the head, promising, "I won't harm her. She can stay."

"...Thanks!"

…

Surprisingly for the one with the most large injuries due to having swordsmen as opponents, Luffy was the first one to wake. It had only been a day which made all the novelty. Her obsidian eyes scanned the white room and unconscious pirates as well as monitoring nurses before falling to her side where Ace slept. She smiled, ruffling his hair,

"You're always sleeping." Gazing above her at the window, she shifted slightly, slinking slowly out of the sickbed so that Ace wouldn't be bothered and the nurses wouldn't notice. She winced and almost gasped as her side and chest exploded with pain, but she kept as quiet as she could. Just as she was about to open the window, arms wrapped around her and pulled her back, a loud voice shouting,

"Gotcha!"

This time, she did yelp in pain. There was no adrenaline or fight to distract her and she whimpered slightly as she held her chest and lower left side, feeling both the stab of Squalo's and the gash from Whitey Bay. The world began moving and she heard some shouting and apologies, but she couldn't focus on anything. She was about to pass out, but she held on for long moments, clenching the white bed sheets tightly and feeling a soothing circular rub on her back. She smiled slightly as she glanced to the side,

"Thanks, Ace."

The man gazed at her worriedly, "Are you alright, Lu?"

She nodded though there were tears near her eyes as she continued holding her chest and side area where those two dangerous wounds pounded her heart with icy daggers.

"Yeah" came her breathless answer which wasn't convincing at all if the number of nurses crowding her bedside were anything to judge by. They forced her to relax and stop touching her injuries, pushing her back into the sheets so that they could check to see that the stitches were still intact. The eldest one, which she assumed to be the head, ordered without a care that she was a marine,

"You are not to move a single inch from this bed or even up from it. I want you lying down at all times and, for Heaven's sake, go to sleep! You shouldn't even be awake by now," Her and the other nurses' eyes flickered to the other pirates in the room who were still knocked out with their miniscule wounds compared to hers, "Definitely not by now." The head nurse commented, "You far surpassed your brother in terms of recovery speed. Congratulations. Now, try not to surpass him in terms of stupidity and lack of patience."

"Hey—" Ace began while Luffy smiled wryly,

"I don't know. That actually seems to be an easy task for me, ma'am. I really need to get going."

"You are going nowhere, even if I have to chain you up. This is the territory of Marianne, head nurse of the Whitebeard Pirates. In here, my orders are God. Lie down."

"Well, I don't exactly believe in God so—"

"Down."

Luffy stared into the old woman's eyes before letting herself fall slowly backwards into the soft bed. The nurse nodded at her submission, checking her injuries herself before walking away,

"Make sure she doesn't move for the rest of the day and next."

Luffy pouted, about to protest, but Ace gave her a sharp look, clearly agreeing with the nurse, "Of course."

And that was probably the first time the two agreed; Ace having tried sneaking out of the infirmary many times before.

The girl sighed at the double team, staring up at the window just lying a bit beyond her reach, "I need to leave."

"You don't." Ace rejected the very idea of his injured sister sneaking out with those injuries while they were on a ship in the middle of the ocean. "Luffy, listen. You were stabbed in the chest. You were cut in the side. And you were dying." He didn't care… no, he wanted her to see his eyes as he repeated, "You were dying. Like _him_."

And that was what quelled the girl as she let herself be defeated, "Fine." After a while, she blinked, "Is this where _I _say don't kill me off?"

Ace blinked as well before laughing, giving her that one as he held her small hand, "Then, I guess this is where I say that I'll become stronger and stronger and stronger and about triple that much stronger… so don't die, Lu."

"Mm!" She grinned brightly at the thought that their roles switched, making Ace teasingly ruffle her hair,

"As if, squirt. I'm still a billion times stronger. It'll be a millennia before you can even think you can protect me."

"Buu~ Just watch, Ace, one day I'll become a thousand times stronger than you and kick your ass to become Pirate King!" She pondered for a bit, giving him a cheeky smile, "For now, I'll stick with taking your money for a pirate ship."

"Pfft, you might want to get a navigator first then~ I don't want you to sail straight into whirlpools and somehow end up on sky islands you never even knew about."

"I'm not that bad!"

"Mmhmm, I believe you. Incidentally, where's North?"

"...wherever it's coldest?"

Ace smiled, ruffling her hair, "Yes, yes, my dear, it's wherever is coldest — pfft." He then burst into laughter, unable to hold it in anymore. She growled, blushing vibrantly,

"Don't make fun of me, Ace! I bet your first mate was a doctor who thought you were dead when you really just fell asleep while eating!" She contemplated with her accusation, "Then you probably just dragged her around into a eat and run, cause more trouble for her, and recruit her…"

A passing nurse blinked, "How do you know?" She laughed at Ace's own blush as she introduced herself, "I'm Sparta, former first mate of the Spade Pirates. It's nice to meet taichou's little sister."

Luffy grinned as she shook the hand, "Sorry for the trouble my brother must have caused you."

"Oh no, no! I knew what I was getting into when I signed up~" She laughed before smirking slyly as she bent down to whisper to the bed-ridden girl, "Though there was this one time…"

"Don't say anything!" Ace shouted, pushing the woman away out of embarrassment. Sparta laughed, but left with a wave. The kid was cute — a lot cuter than when they saw her at battle. She could see now why Ace and Marco liked her so much besides their relations. Ace huffed, crossing his arms, "Nothing happened."

"Then was your adventure a blank?" Luffy smirked and Ace lightly hit her out of embarrassment that he would ever hint such a thing,

"Of course not!" He grinned proudly, having always wanted to recount his tales to someone who'd listen in pure awe and amazement. "You wouldn't believe the things I saw~ Once I left the island, I…" And Luffy was a great listener as emotions spanned across her face and the stories ran across her eyes, engulfing the both of them in the amazing tales of Firefist Ace.

Marco stepped back into the sickbay with a beaten Thatch in tow before stopping and smiling at the sight. Thatch turned to smile as well once he saw the animated Ace and immersed marine girl — both of them full with such life that he couldn't imagine them ever dying. Marco still held him by the cuff though,

"You're still apologizing. I don't care if she's trying to escape; common sense should have told you not to tackle people at where they were hurt."

Thatch drooped, "Okay…" And he really meant it. When seeing the girl awake, he had totally forgot that she was still badly injured.

Whitebeard and the other commanders entered after him only to stop as well. Haruta cooed as she watched afar,

"Awww~ Isn't that the cutest?"

Jozu mused, "She really is just a little girl."

Izo hummed, appreciating the girl's faces from afar as an onnagata, "The best kind of listener as well. All of us storytellers would love her." Turning, he gestured his forward with his head, "Come on."

Whitebeard agreed as he patted the ones who were most eager to see her, "Let's not bother them."

They nodded. Still it was a beautiful sight that none would forget… especially after the future's many despairing events.

…

"You're still here, Ace?"

The Fire Logia nodded with a yawn, "Have to watch her. Idiot will probably try to escape — why, I understand," They all did really because she had people worried about her far away while she was here. "but she can't make the trip."

Marco settled down into another chair by the bedside, gazing as the moonlight drifted down to her peaceful face as she slept. They illuminated her black hair, giving her an ephemeral grace with the dancing glows. It was as if she was the source of light, not the moon that shined dully upon her.

"Normally, everyone couldn't make the trip, injury or not." The phoenix commented, "We're in the middle of the most dangerous ocean."

Ace nodded before speaking lightly to the one he trusted the most. They were alone with everyone else sleeping around them so it wouldn't matter, he guessed.

"She's a Zoan. Like you. A bird."

Marco's eyes mildly widened, but somehow he already guessed that too. Like how he wasn't surprised with Ace being her brother, he had always thought on some fundamental level within that the birds suited her.

She was a bird shackled by the chains of family.

Yet… it wasn't a bad thing. No, not at all to her. She could still smile as brightly in Marineford, still enjoy life, still connect with everyone even after a hard fight, acting as if waking up in the sickbay of Moby Dick was nothing to a marine. She was still free. She was still a pirate in heart and… dream. It amazed him. Despite being a marine, she still kept her same dream, never changing despite seeing the other perspective of piracy.

Ace was right. The world was too small for her. If the opposite of freedom was the world, then she didn't care about the world. The thoughts of others, her reputation, her actions — none of them mattered to her as much as the dreams and adventures in a spiritual sense. The journey mattered more to her than the destination. It would not surprise him if she was the type to be directionally challenged.

She was a girl that was truly free. She chose her own path, ignoring all conventions, all laws, all the World.

The ocean couldn't stop her.

He smiled.

"A bird, huh?" Remembering his time under her care, he placed his crossed arms behind his head, relaxing for the night, "Well, you know what they say, no one should have their freedom taken away… birds especially."

They both laughed, knowing that she was going to try escaping anyways no matter what they say. Marco really wondered if he was like her or could be like her, free of everything. He felt as if he was still caged and she was still helping him out, presence by presence, thought by thought, easing him out so that he could one day fly the world without reservation.

For now, he was a commander buried in paperwork, the accumulation of many treaties and islands under their protection.

…And come morning, he did find her gone, a blue feather of happiness resting under the sun as curtains flew with the wind's gentle breezes. He breathed freedom.

**-Omake-**

Slide.

WHAM.

"Buu~ You're so mean, Phoenix-san~ Can't I get a little fresh air?" She pouted when the window shut close immediately after she opened it. Marco arched a brow before opening it just a tiny crack,

"There. Your little fresh air."

Ace and Thatch roared with laughter while Luffy sputtered in disbelief, protesting loudly with that childish voice of hers,

"Phoenix-san!"

"Right, right, I'll open it a tad bit more," Marco smirked as he moved the window a millimeter higher. She pouted, but laid down in defeat, especially when the head nurse glared at her direction,

"Pirates."

"Didn't you want to be like us?" Thatch grinned before remembering, "Ah! I'm Thatch and well, um, I'm sorry about yesterday. And the day before that." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck while she nodded,

"Okay. And I don't want to be like you guys. I swear I'll be better than you guys."

"Uh huh." Ace grinned, "I'll be waiting for the day that happens. One million years in the future."

"You!" She pointed at her smirking brother, "Out! No meanies allowed!"

"And here I was sure that your vocabulary improved since joining the marines~"

"And here I was sure that you would become more mature since becoming a commander!" She retorted. Both glared at each other before laughing. This was life. Even when on different sides, it seemed like family really did come before work.

...

**A/N: There. I'm not a good writer, but Luffy's alive and there's still an ambiguous ending, not a fricken coma ending so I'll end my rage ending here. That's all Hysterical Kit could have written and I'd be happy with that author going on super hiatus whenever he/she wanted.**

**Anyways, if you're still reading this, then just some explanations as to why I made some changes to canon (not Hysterical Kit canon, but real). **

**First, I gave Luffy a Zoan. A bird Zoan because it's heavily implied in PC (Phoenix Capture) that Luffy likes birds, could possibly speak to/understand them, and heavily values freedom. Since I'm pretty sure that there was no way Luffy could escape the Moby Dick on the ocean without swimming with the sea kings like Rayleigh can, I'm pretty sure that she has an ability of flight. A Devil Fruit is implied by how she wears her seastone ring _over_ her gloves and she obviously does not have the Gomu Gomu no Mi, because she doesn't stretch and because she's smart (Rubber is an insulator and the brain uses electricity. Dragon does not have dud sperms and Garp can be a Marine Hero/real leader when he tries. There's a reason for everything, even stupidity. Enough said.)**

**Thus, it's a Bird Zoan IMO. She flies away once healed with the distinct line between their sides (pirate vs marine) intact. The story of a forbidden love between marine and pirate continues.**

**In PC, Luffy is also mentioned to _see dreams_ or know what had happened with her marines even when no one told her as the first wave of marines were unconscious and the second wave she came with remains ignorant as to what happened and who started the fight. This could possibly mean that she has a Mythical Zoan that allows her to see dreams or the recent past or something like that... or she has good deductive ability and Kenbunshoku Haki... I actually went with the latter because the first was a bit too OP IMO. **

**I did give her the matching color of blue though, because of the legendary blue bird of happiness (google is a friend) and because that would make her and Marco two birds of a feather (idiom, meaning they're the same. They are if you think of it. Free birds trapped in offices with a lot of responsibility over their many subordinates/brothers/nakama as commanders).**

**Also, Luffy is 16 in this fic (reason for the plot). People seem to tend to make Fem!Luffy really young, but they really need to think about this. If Luffy's younger than your average high school teenager and is, for example, 12, then can you really imagine a good romance story from that without someone shouting pedophile or lolicon? I can't for sure. And while it is considered Badass for genius MCs to be young, it's tremendously unrealistic and therefore OP/OOC/Mary-Gary Sue. Even Oda doesn't make a great character from a young character. **

**Thus, there is no year-changing from canon and because the SH Pirates haven't come yet, it's not that year yet and in PC, I'm convinced that Luffy is 16. Pretty, Near Adulthood, still young enough to be called a little girl by pirates in their 30s (as they had in PC), at Romantic Teenage Drama age, and in a year after meeting Phoenix-san, she meets her crew at 17. Time isn't slow in PC. Remember. Marco was captured for 107 days. Three months passed after that. Who knows how much time passes after this and then she's 17?**

**Anyways, next, was the Shiki/Blackbeard War thing that seemed to be the plot of PC besides the romance. My opinion of it: FABULOUS. I could think of hundreds of things that could happen with those two teaming up:**

**-East Blue at war (cuz Shiki hates it) and Luffy leads the marines against Shiki, while picking up her SH crew members as marines along the way (possibly WB help in revenge against Shiki while others might go on a great Blackbeard hunt)**

**-SH marines fighting Supernovas, Alabasta War, possibly hiding Robin from WG or defeating CP9 from within, chasing after X Drake (our defecting dinosaur) and Blackbeard (who probably had his kingdom-smashing fun). Not to mention Shiki VS Blackbeard when they both go after Ace (Roger's son and admittedly GREAT way to become a Shichibukai)**

**-The Canon Thatch dying (karma for hurting poor Luffy) and Ace execution (possibly) and with more drama and pirates and marines better understanding each other and SH MARINES DEFECTING TO BECOME PIRATES and Garp understanding and letting her go after realizing from being with her for years that her heart wasn't in the marines with the final MarcoxLuffy fighting together against the marines and escaping safely with Ace who may or may not be impaled like a hollow**

**-maybe a Vegapunk-Caesar soap opera, Sabo coming back, Dressrosa, and then the entire let's defeat the other Yonkous and get One Piece together, give back straw hat plot**

**That's just one idea of a story outline. Make no mistake. I didn't delve into that plot because it was too long for a oneshot sequel that I just wrote, but Hysterical Kit really had a rough gemstone with a lot of potential in the making there.**

**Finally, about the Sparta OC I threw in. Didn't know Ace's ex-crew at all. Don't know who the first mate is. That was purely for humor.**

**Final thoughts... I really like this pairing and story idea after much thought. Poor Marco is a First Division Commander, possibly first mate, and his Captain is sick (deadly so with incurable age). He has many allies to watch over, islands to protect, 1600+ men/women to care for... This guy is the opposite of freedom and realistically should be really really busy and stressed. Imagine if he does get captured and then freed by the epitome of freedom... Luffy, our beloved future Pirate King who just wants to be the freest as well. It's a really sweet tale when I think about it. And it's a really sad tale as well which is probably why Hysterical Kit hinted to great world-changing events that were highly likely to lead to disaster in PC. Freedom isn't cheap at all.**

**If the opposite of freedom is the world... then it's the world that is their enemy. The World Government, everyone after One Piece, enemies of WB and SH... It's a beautiful love story headed towards disaster IMO. **

**Too bad that the story won't ever be known though with how no one is writing it (or at least currently). **

**Anyways, got that out of my system. Don't follow. And if you haven't learned anything still, then fanfiction writers remember to finish your stories! Or else you'll get ranting, raving crazy people like me who get super irritated! I actually think that my A/N rant is longer than the story now... (O.o)**


End file.
